The East Tennessee State men’s basketball team, winners of two-straight Southern Confer-ence North Division championships, will make its 2002-03 debut today in an exhibition game against Charleston AAU at Memorial Center. Tip off is set for 7:30 p.m.
Over the last two days, the floor at Memorial Center has undergone its annual changeover from football to basketball and all is now ready for the hoops season to begin. Admission to Thursday night’s game will be free and ETSU staff will be on hand to take season ticket orders from fans that wish to support the Bucs throughout the upcoming campaign.
The Buccaneers have garnered their share of preseason accolades this year. ETSU was picked to finish first in the North Division by both the coaches and the media. Junior forwards Jerald Fields and Zakee Wadood were both selected as preseason first-team All-SoCon players.
Bucs’ fans will be treated to some familiar faces at Thursday night’s game, as former ETSU greats Greg Dennis and Calvin Talford will suit up for the Charleston squad. Both Dennis and Talford were part of ETSU teams that made four straight trips to the NCAA tournament from 1989-92.
ETSU has recorded back-to-back 18-10 seasons and will open its regular season schedule Nov. 22 at 7:30 p.m. against Guilford College before going on the road to face Southeastern Conference foe South Carolina Sunday, Nov. 24, in Columbia, S.C.
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Head coach Ed DeChellis announced Wednesday the signing of Monessen, Penn., native A.J. Jackson to a national letter of intent with the ETSU’s men’s basketball team.
Jackson, a 6-foot-6, 210-pound power forward, averaged 19 points and 13 rebounds a game as a junior at Monessen High School. He was an all-district, all-area and all-Western Pennsylvania pick last season, and he led his team to back-to-back WPIAL Class A state titles.
“We are very excited about A.J. choosing to join our basketball family here at East Tennessee State,” said DeChellis, whose team has won two-straight Southern Conference North Division titles. “A.J. comes from a good high school program where his high school coach Joe Salvino has done an outstanding job. “
Jackson has collected 1,193 points and enters his senior year just 318 points shy of the school scoring record. He is only the third player to be a four-year starter for Monessen under Salvino, and he played summer AAU basketball for the Pittsburgh Shockers, averaging nine points and 10 rebounds.
DeChellis said Jackson’s versatility made him a valuable recruit.
“He’s a long player with a good build who can shoot the ball well from 3-point range,” DeChellis said. “He has the ability to play both wing and the post position.”
ETSU opens its 2002-03 regular season Friday, Nov. 22 against Guilford College at Memorial Center. Tip off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

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